Railroad switch lamp



Dec. 30, 1924. l 520F74- c. SCHERLE RAILROAD SWITCH LAMP Filed June 28, 1923 2 Sheets-sheet l WITNESSES INVENTOR \ZQ' Z" C'SCHMLE" J BY A TTORNE YS Dec, 30,

c. SCHERLE RAILROAD SWI TCH LAMP Filed June 28, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES INVENTOR A TTORNEYS Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

'UMTEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES SCHERLE, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

RAILROAD swrrcn LAMP.

Application filed June 28, 1923. Serial No. 648,367.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES SCHERLE, a citizen of the United States; and a resident of SanAntonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Switch Lamps, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to railroad switch lamps and has for its object the provision of a device capable of automatically producing illumination at the switch by the refle'ction of the light projected from the usual headlight of an approaching engine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a' device capable of producing illumination at a switch by reflected light and thereby eliminating the necessity of constant attention by workmen for maintaining a source of illumination in the lamp. Another object of the invention is the provision of a switch lamp having reflectors and transparent colored mediums for determining the raysreflected, the reflectors and mediums bein removably secured in cooperative relation to each other in the lamp.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accomspecification; nevertheless it is to be underpanying drawing forming a part of the stood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications, which shall define no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l'is a vertical section in elevation of the lamp constructed according to my invention. p

Figure 2 diagrammatically shows the projectionof light on the reflector.

- Figure 3 is a plan view of the lamp.

reflectors and their cooperative transparent mediums and connecting parts in disengaged relation. 1

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a casing which may be of any shape and provided with a circular cap 2 in which the ends 3 of the handle 4 are secured. The opposite faces of'the casing has openings 5' Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the.

which extend flanges 8 concentric with the tubular members 6 but of a larger diameter. A shoulder is formed where the flange 8 joins the flange 7 and upon which rests the periphery of a concave reflector 9.

Abutting the end of the flange 8 is a laterally projecting flange 10 formed on the in ner end of a tubular member 11. This tubular member is provided with a shoulder at 12 which receives the periphery of a colored transparent medium 13. An annular ring 14 located between the mirror 9 and the transparent medium 13 spaces these two members apart. v

A split ring 15 having inwardly projecting spaced flanges 16 and 17 at the periphcries of the said ring are adapted to lock the tubular member 11 tothe tubular member 6 and likewise secure the mirror 9 and the transparent medium 13 in position before the opening 5. The flange 17 of the I ring 15 engages the outer surface of the lateral flange 7 on the tubular member 6 while the periphery of the flange 16 of the ring 15 engages the outer wall of the tubular member 11. At the ends of the split portion of the ring are provided laterally projectingperforated ears 18 which .are adapted to be clamped together by means of a bolt 19. i I

Th ecasing provided with the usual base inember 20 for positioningthe lamp at the crossing.

Infoperation, the lamp is placed at the crossing and alined with the tracks so that a pair of the diametrically disposed openings 5 will be alined with the tracks while the other two openings will be located at a right angle to the tracks. As an engine approaches the switch the beams 21 from a headlight 22 will beprojected upon the lamp 1 with the rays passing through the transparent medium 13 and striking the reflector 9. The rays that are reflected from the mirror 9 through the transparent medium 13 back to the engineer will have the same force and effect as if a source of light is maintained within the casing 1. Due to the curvature of the mirror 9 the rays of the headlight 22 which'are reflected by the mlrror 9 will be seen' at a considerable distance from the lamp. A

This construction eliminates the employment of care-takers for the lamp since a source of light need not be maintained within the casing. I v s What Iclaimi's: 1. A railroad switch lamp comprising a casing having flanged openings, a reflector reflector in position.

2. A railroad switch lamp comprising a casing having flanged openings, a concave reflector supported by the flange across the opening, an open-ended cylindrical member having one end abutting the flanged opening, a concave transparent I medium supported by the cylindrical member, a ring spacing the concave transparent medium from the reflector, and means for locking the cylindrical memberto the flanged opening of the casing and likewise for locking the concave transparent medium and the concave reflector 1n position.

3. A railroad switch lamp comprising a casing having flanged openings, a concave reflector supported by the flange across the openings, van open-ended cylindrical Inem- 80 a concave transparent medium suppoited lTy the cylindrical member, a ring spacing the transparent member from the reflector, and means for engaging the flange at the opening in the casing and the flanged cylindrical member for locking said cylindrical member to the opening and likewise for locking the transparent medium and the reflector in position.

4. A railroad switch lamp comprising a casing having flanged openings, a concave reflector supported by the flange across the openings, an open-ended cylindrical member having-one end laterally flanged and" abutting the flanged openings in the casing, a concave transparent medium supported by the cylindrical member, a ring spacing the transparent member from the reflector, and a split ring having spaced interned flanges in engagement with the lateral flange of the opening in the casing and with the outer Wall of the cylindrical member.

GHARLES SCHERLE. 

